Windows 10 WinSxS folder. What is the meaning of random number in ssh.exe folder path?

Question

I notice there are 2 ssh.exe in one of the Win 10 computer.

C:\>DIR /s/b C:\ssh.exe
C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe
C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_openssh-client-components-onecore_<RandomNumber1>_10.0.17134.1_none_<RandomNumber2>\ssh.exe

C:\>

I replaced both number with RandomNumber1 and RandomNumber2 as I wasn't sure what it is.

Also, 10.0.17134.1 looks like a Windows version, but the one found on this machine is 10.0.17134.766

C:\>ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17134.766]

C:\>

Both ssh.exe are running on the same version

C:\>C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe -V
OpenSSH_for_Windows_7.6p1, LibreSSL 2.6.4

C:\>C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_openssh-client-components-onecore_<RandomNumber1>_10.0.17134.1_none_<RandomNumber2>\ssh.exe -V
OpenSSH_for_Windows_7.6p1, LibreSSL 2.6.4

C:\>

What are these numbers?

Are they unique for each users?

Answer 1

I replaced both numbers with RandomNumber1 and RandomNumber2 as I wasn't sure what it is.

They are not actually random.

What are these numbers?

They are a package identifier. When you install a Windows feature it’s extracted from WinSxS to the System32 folder.

10.0.17134.1 was the initial build for the version of Windows 10 you have installed. 10.0.17134.885 is the current build of that same version which was incremented due to the cumulative update you have installed.

Are they unique for each user?

It is unique to the specific package, by comparing several different Windows 10 installations within various VMs, RandomNumber1 seems to be the same for both OpenSSH Client and OpenSSH Server regardless of the what cumulative update you have installed. RandomNumber2 appears to differ based on the date and size of the manifest file. As I indicated the package within the WinSxS directory is simply used to install the Windows feature.

You really should only care about what version of OpenSSH you actually have installed. Whatever version of the OpenSSH Client and OpenSSH Server you have installed will be entirely based on the version of Windows 10 you have installed.

Since you are running Windows 10 version 1803, Win32 OpenSSH 7.6.1.0 would have been the version that was included, since it was released on March 30th, 2018. Windows 10 version 1803 was released on April 30th, 2019.

Win32 OpenSSH, which is the OpenSSH client you have installed, is actually open source. It is worth pointing out that this particular feature is on GitHub.